Judy McKimm, Ana Sergio Da Silva, Suzanne Edwards, Jennene Greenhill and Celia Taylor
Women remain under-represented in leadership positions in both clinical medicine and medical education, despite a rapid increase in the proportion of women in the medical…
Abstract
Women remain under-represented in leadership positions in both clinical medicine and medical education, despite a rapid increase in the proportion of women in the medical profession. This chapter explores potential reasons for this under-representation and how it can be ameliorated, drawing on a range of international literatures, theories and practices. We consider both the ‘demand’ for and ‘supply’ of women as leaders, by examining: how evolving theories of leadership help to explain women’s’ leadership roles and opportunities, how employment patterns theory and gender schemas help to explain women’s career choices, how women aspiring to leadership can be affected by the ‘glass ceiling’ and the ‘glass cliff’ and the importance of professional development and mentoring initiatives. We conclude that high-level national strategies will need to be reinforced by real shifts in culture and structures before women and men are equally valued for their leadership and followership contributions in medicine and medical education.
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Helena Ferreira-Barbosa, Bebiana Sabino, Vânia Loureiro and Gabriel Cepeda-Carrion
This study aimed to propose and test a model that describes the different aspects and mechanisms that influence the behavioral intentions of fitness center customers by examining…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to propose and test a model that describes the different aspects and mechanisms that influence the behavioral intentions of fitness center customers by examining the relationship between service convenience, service quality and perceived value, comparing customers with and without PT service. This study is highlighted by the need for fitness centers to remain competitive and profitable and the fact that PT services are one of the top ten global fitness trends.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 412 fitness center customers. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test each proposed hypothesis.
Findings
Nine of the ten hypotheses tested, between service convenience, service quality, perceived value and behavioral intentions, were supported. The results from bootstrapping supported the indirect effects of service quality and perceived value in the relationship between service convenience, service quality and behavioral intentions. The presence of the PT service affects the majority of the relationships in the model.
Research limitations/implications
Customers with PT services may have different expectations and perceptions based on the cost associated with the service. Managers may consider adapting their service strategies to these distinct customer segments, offering differentiated service levels or targeted convenience improvements.
Originality/value
The variables under study integrate a comprehensive model for fitness centers while innovating by incorporating PT services as a moderating variable, providing a differentiated view of how customer segments perceive and respond to fitness center offerings.
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Presents the formulation of a new triangular finite element for plate bending. The element has 15 degrees of freedom: six displacements at the corners and midside nodes and nine…
Abstract
Presents the formulation of a new triangular finite element for plate bending. The element has 15 degrees of freedom: six displacements at the corners and midside nodes and nine rotations normal to the element side, three along each element side. The element is based on the Kirchhoff theory for plate bending and the shape functions are derived from a complete quartic polynomial. Presents a numerical assessment of the element, showing that the element passes the patch test and that it possesses a good converge rate. The stiffness matrix is integrated exactly.
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Helena Morténius, Amir Baigi, Lars Palm, Bengt Fridlund, Cecilia Björkelund and Berith Hedberg
The purpose of this paper is to understand how organisational culture influences the intentions of primary care staff members (PCSM) to engage in research and development (R&D)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how organisational culture influences the intentions of primary care staff members (PCSM) to engage in research and development (R&D).
Design/methodology/approach
The participants (n=30) were PCSM employed in a care centre in south-western Sweden. The study had an observational design with an ethnographic approach. The data were collected by means of observations, interviews and analysis of documents.
Findings
The results revealed the perceptions of PCSM in two domains, research and clinical practice, both of which existed at three different cultural levels: visible (structures and policy), semi-visible (norms and values) and invisible (taken-for-granted attitudes).
Research limitations/implications
It is difficult to conduct a purely objective ethnographic study because the investigation is controlled by its context. However, it is necessary to highlight and discuss the invisible level to improve understanding of negative attitudes and preconceptions related to the implementation of R&D in the clinical setting.
Practical implications
By highlighting the invisible level of culture, the management of an organisation has the opportunity to initiate discussion of issues related to concealed norms and values as well as attitudes towards new thinking and change in the primary health context.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the very few studies to investigate the influence of organisational culture on the intentions of PCSM to engage in R&D.
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Graţiela Georgiana Noja, Mirela Cristea and Atila Yüksel
Introduction: Despite its significance, the research on international migration with a specific focus on the European Union (EU) needs to be strengthened with comprehensive…
Abstract
Introduction: Despite its significance, the research on international migration with a specific focus on the European Union (EU) needs to be strengthened with comprehensive studies, for developing better immigration and integration policies. Considering the amplitude of migration flows in Europe and recent challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, the Brexit decision and humanitarian dimension of the migration phenomena (asylum seekers and refugees), the need for better immigration and integration policies within the host countries’ labor markets stands out as a major research direction, especially in case of immigrants looking for better working and living conditions. Aim: This chapter aims to design specific immigration clusters within the main EU-10 destination countries (including Spain, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, UK, Germany, Austria, and Sweden) (cluster analysis procedure); and to identify feasible ways and specific policies for immigrants’ labor market success (spatial analysis and macroeconometric models). Method: The methodological framework consists of two parts: (i) immigration clusters analysis, based on the interlinkages between several fundamental migration coordinates, namely, economic welfare at destination, employment opportunities for the foreign population, migrant integration policies and associated governmental efforts, educational background; and (ii) spatial analysis models, namely spatial lag–autoregressive and spatial error, and other three econometric procedures, respectively, the robust regression, Panel Corrected Standard Errors, and Arellano-Bond Dynamic Generalized Method of Moments. National data compiled for the 10 main EU receiving economies during 2000–2015, with a particular focus on Spain were used. Findings: The impact of the proposed research is reflected through a set of new specific tailored ways, policies and strategies that can be adopted and implemented by the policy-makers across Europe. Our empirical results show that, overall, EU-10 countries still fail to identify immigrants with high levels of education and skills acquired to enhance their potential for labor market integration. Policy-makers should always monitor the specific ways in which migration policies lead to concrete positive labor market outcomes for immigrants and that the tools used for implementing these policies are suitable in achieving predefined migration goals. Therefore, a particular focus should be on developing a new immigration system to select migrants for their skills and high level of human capital, by following the best practices examples of other receiving countries.
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Prabha Ramseook-Munhurrun, Perunjodi Naidoo and Sandhya Armoogum
This paper addresses the issue of the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the information and communication technology (ICT) and engineering fields. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper addresses the issue of the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the information and communication technology (ICT) and engineering fields. The study examines the complex issue of vertical segregation and gender equality by exploring the barriers that women encounter and the potential coping strategies they adopt to advance in their careers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with 17 women at middle and upper management levels in the ICT and engineering sectors. This approach aims to better understand women's workplace experiences and gain deeper insights into the nature of the barriers they face.
Findings
The study identifies four main factors hindering women's progression toward senior management positions, namely working hours, work-family conflict, social role stereotypes and second-generation bias. The results also offer useful insights into the coping strategies adopted by women to overcome these barriers.
Practical implications
The study highlights the persisting underrepresentation of women in senior positions, indicating a societal and organizational lag in terms of inclusion and equity. It underscores the importance of developing effective policies to address the challenges faced by employees striving to balance their work and family commitments. Training is recognized as an important tool for raising awareness about gender stereotypes among employees and reducing second-generation bias.
Originality/value
This study provides valuable lessons derived from its findings, including potential strategies that organizations can implement to help women navigate and overcome workplace barriers in the ICT and engineering fields.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which – and how – female expatriate role models support women to take up expatriate assignments in the male-dominated oil and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which – and how – female expatriate role models support women to take up expatriate assignments in the male-dominated oil and gas industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses data from a census survey of female expatriates supported by semi-structured interviews with a stratified sample of the survey respondents, triangulated with interviews with human resource (HR) professionals and analysis of organizational policy relevant to expatriation.
Findings
Potential assignees value the information that women role models can provide on living in challenging, masculine locations. Role models are particularly important to women undertaking unaccompanied assignments and also when assignment periods exceed traditional lengths. Current female expatriates do not view themselves as role models, despite HR professionals recognizing their value in inspiring women's expatriation.
Research limitations/implications
This research was set in a sector with very few female expatriate role models. Further research is needed to understand the influence of role models on women's expatriation in different sectors and organizations with greater female role model representation.
Practical implications
Training for current assignees, time to be set aside within work duties and communications links to enable current and returned female expatriates to connect with potential assignees are needed to widen expatriate gender diversity.
Originality/value
This research contributes to theory by linking the importance of role models to women's career stages. It proposes a new theoretical contribution by linking role model importance to the types of assignments women undertake. Practical suggestions for organizations are given to widen expatriate gender diversity via support for role models.
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Hardjo Koerniadi and Alireza Tourani‐Rad
This paper investigates the presence of the accrual and the cash flow anomalies in the New Zealand stock market for the period of 1987 to 2003. We observe insignificant evidence…
Abstract
This paper investigates the presence of the accrual and the cash flow anomalies in the New Zealand stock market for the period of 1987 to 2003. We observe insignificant evidence of the accrual anomaly but find strong evidence of the presence of the cash flow anomaly. However, from 1987 to 1992 – a period before the introduction of the Companies and the Financial Reporting Acts 1993 – the presence of the accrual anomaly was statistically significant suggesting that the introduction of the FRA had a significant impact on the occurrence of the anomaly. We observe further that firms with high discretionary accruals experience significant negative future stock returns. This evidence is consistent with the notion that managers of these firms engage in earnings management.
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The hegemony of neoliberal rhetoric in Western societies places an increasing emphasis on an individual’s ability to negotiate risk. The purpose of this chapter is to better…
Abstract
Purpose
The hegemony of neoliberal rhetoric in Western societies places an increasing emphasis on an individual’s ability to negotiate risk. The purpose of this chapter is to better understand how – within this cultural context – voluntary risk-takers think about the significance of their potentially dangerous practices. My specific focus is the Chicago parkour community. Parkour is a new lifestyle sport in which practitioners use features of the urban environment (e.g., stairwells and retaining walls) as obstacles on which to climb, jump, run and vault.
Approach
Data for this project were derived from four years of participant-observation within the Chicago parkour community and semi-structured interviews with 40 participants.
Findings
I argue that the dangers encountered while practicing parkour are given social significance through the interplay of what I call rites of risk and rituals of symbolic safety. These rites and rituals provide a meaningful framework for activities that represent a threat to the self (e.g., performing a jump in which a mistake could be fatal). Further, I contrast my findings with the notion of edgework (which highlights the death-defying aspects of an activity). Members of the Chicago parkour community often downplayed the physical perils involved in their sport to highlight safety protocols. In this sense, parkour practitioners are less like “edgeworkers” and more like “hedgeworkers” – symbolically demonstrating protections taken against uncertainly (i.e., hedging one’s bets).
Implications
Like all ethnographic studies of a single field site, there are limits to generalizability. Future research should explore the connections between hedgework and other voluntary risk-taking activities (in and outside of lifestyle sports).
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse CSR reporting in large Finnish listed companies, focusing on the following questions: what kinds of motives and objectives appear behind…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse CSR reporting in large Finnish listed companies, focusing on the following questions: what kinds of motives and objectives appear behind CSR reporting, what kinds of documents are used in CSR reporting, and what kind of information related especially to CSR policy, stakeholders, as well as economic, social and environmental responsibilities, is presented? Finally, the idea is to compare large Finnish listed companies' CSR information with corresponding international results.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on the analysis of qualitative data consisting of formal CSR reports, including annual reports and special CSR reports, of 2006. The empirical analyses are supplemented with interviews with four company representatives and with two auditors. The information of special CSR reports is analysed by using the content method.
Findings
Companies understand responsibility as a duty to act responsibly towards their stakeholders and CSR reporting as a response to stakeholders' expectations and demands. The study indicates that especially corporate characteristics such as industry group and internationalization stage as well as general contextual factors such as social and cultural context affect voluntary CSR reporting. It shows that the large Finnish listed companies define corporate social responsibility as being based on Elkington's triple bottom line (TBL) model. In CSR reporting companies follow more or less GRI guidelines. Formal CSR information is presented based on the TBL model but companies emphasize different issues in their reporting.
Research limitations/implications
First, the research is based on interpretative understanding and these kinds of analyses are always more or less subjective. Second, the analysis is based on CSR information produced by large Finnish listed companies. Thus, the study does not give an extensive description of the CSR reporting in all Finnish listed companies or in non‐listed companies. Third, the research is a cross‐sectional study based on CSR information published in one particular year. And fourth, the research data include only certain formal CSR information, not all CSR disclosures. Thereby, the analysis gives a snapshot or a glimpse of Finnish CSR reporting practices. The analysis does not tell anything about history, development or future of CSR reporting practices or anything about other kinds of CSR communication of the large Finnish listed companies. Thus, the reality reconstructed in the study must not be generalized, but used to understand CSR reporting in the context.
Originality/value
The paper analyses CSR reporting in large Finnish listed companies, focusing on motives and objectives, documents used, and information related particularly to CSR policy, stakeholders, and economic, social and environmental responsibilities.